A Soulful Journey

University of Illinois football coach Bob Zuppke was renowned for the fire and fervor of his half-time pep talks.  One afternoon, his team hit the locker room after the first half well behind in both points and enthusiasm. Zuppke began talking to them and the more he talked the louder and more dramatic his voice became. The momentum built in the players. Then the coach pointed to the door at the far end of the locker room and said, "Now go out there and win this game!" Filled with emotion the players got off the bench, ran to the door and charged through it. But it was the wrong door, and one by one they fell into the swimming pool!   It is one thing to be all charged up, it's quite another to be headed in the right direction.

A learned teacher used the metaphor of Noah's Ark to describe the lot of an educator: -floating aimlessly -no particular direction -no one to talk to ...except a boat full of chayas.. .  - Richard Wagner

" Diplomacy is the art of telling people to go to hell in such a way that they ask for directions." "You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks."   -  Winston Churchill  

The Holy Rebbe of Tzanz used to tell parables during the third meal of Shabbos during the month of Elul which proceeds Rosh HaShanah*.   One of them was:   'There were two people lost in a forest.   One of them was going alone and he was lost for many days in the forest, and he had no idea of the right way to go to get out of the forest.   Suddenly he saw another person going in the forest towards him. A great joy rose in his heart that now, finally, there would be someone to show him the correct way out of the forest.   When they came to each other, he asked him, "Brother, tell me. What is the best way to go. I have been lost in this forest for many days."   The second one answered him, "I cannot tell you what is the proper way. I have also been lost here for many days. However one thing I can tell you.   The way that I have been going you should not go. It is NOT the correct way. Come let us together chose out a new way." '   When the Rebbe fin...

Two men were walking through the forest.   They became lost.   Wandering aimlessly they paused at night set in.   Suddenly, a flash of lightening startled them.   For one of them the lightening was a rude shock and he commented on its ferocity.   For the other, the lightening illumined the way out. Which do you choose when darkness and fear sets in?